Water ski towing device



114-253. GR 310349469 SR y 5, 1962 1.. J. ALLEN 3,034,469

WATER SKI TOWING DEVICE Filed Oct. 13, 1960 INVENTOR LEO J. ALLEN 7 BY GJMAAVWKQM ATTORNEY ed for towing water skiers to prevent the tow line from f becoming entangled with the propeller.

At the present time the tow line is frequently attach This invention relates to boating equipment and more particularly to a towing device for water skiers adapted to be mounted on the transom portion of any boat adaptto a portion of the boat at one side or the other of the stern, resulting in an uneven pull on' the boat or interference with the proper turning of the boat as the skier moves from side to side. Various devices for holding the tow line so as to center the strain behind the center portion of the boat transom ,have been tried but these devices have the disadvantage of encumbering the boat with rigging at the stern which presents a hazard when maneuvering near other boats, or of setting up additional strains on the transom of the boat as it is inclined upward at higher speeds, or of failing to hold the tow line sulficient-ly high to prevent entanglement with the propeller when the skier releases his end of the line.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide a towing device which is easily attached to or removed from a boat, which will center the strain on the boat at a point to the rear of the center of the transom without setting up additional strains as the boat is inclined upwardly and forwardly at higher speeds, and which will keep the line from entanglement with the propeller at all times. W Another object is to provide such a device that is adapted for use with any known type of reel take-up device which may be used therewith, or otherwise adapted for controlling the length of line payed out at any time from within the boat. "Other objects are to provide a towing device which is adapted for use with one or two lines and which may be easily further adapted for use with more than two lines, and which may be swung inboard when not in use.

Still further objects are to provide such a device which may be used with any type of boat adapted for water skiing, and to provide means whereby the portion of the tow line or lines adjacent the propeller is automatically lifted away therefrom when the skier or skiers release their end of the line.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a ski tow device according to the present invention secured to the transom of an outboard motor boat;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevation thereof;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary rear elevational view of one side thereof;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the pintle of FIGURE 3 in rear elevation with tube attached; and

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view still further enlarged, showing in side elevation a clamp which may be used to secure additional tubes to the device for towing additional skiers.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 1, a boat transom having side portions 11 joined to the sides 12 of the boat is shown, with the outboard motor secured thereto indicated at 13.

On either side of the motor a curved tube 15 is hingedly secured to a clamp 16. Each tube 15 extends slightly r ited States Patent 0 forward of the clamp 16, and the tow line 17, which passes through the tube, extends forwar in car of the boat from the rounded and flared end 18 of the tube and is preferably secured to an automatic reel take-up device. not shown, or a simple cleat. Rear-ward of clamp 16, each tube 15 extends straight back beyond the motor and, still further rearward, the tubes are gently curved around the motor so as to approach one another at a point indicated at 19. 'From this point the tubes 15 again extend straight back to the rounded and flared end 20 from which the tow line 17 extends rearwardly to the skiers.

At 19 each tube 15 has a pipe coupling 21 welded thereto so that the couplings are mutually facing, and the couplings are joined by a nipple 22 threaded to each coupling. A set screw 23 (FIGURE 2) may be provided in each coupling to lock the nipple in place. To avoid the use of a union, it will be understood that one end of nipple 22 and one coupling 21 may be provided with left-hand threads. By providing nipples 22 of different lengths, the device may be adapted for use with motors of different sizes. Alternatively, spacer means similar to the clamp shown in FIGURE 5 may be used instead of the couplings 21 and nipple 22.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, clamp 16 comprises an inboard leg 24 and an outboard leg 25 joined at the top by the bight portion 26'. The inboard leg 24 may be ribbed as shown for firm engagement with the transom 10 of the boat and the outboard leg is provided with the usual winged screw 27 for clamping the pressure plate 28 against the outboard side of the transom.

Projecting upwardly from the bight 26 is a hinge post 30 on the side of each clamp nearer the motor. A pintle 31, having an enlarged square head 32, is welded to each tube 15 near its forward end 18 as best shown in FIG- URE 4. The axially aligned pintles 31 each protrude toward motor 13 through an appropriate hole in post 30. The reduced protruding end 33 of each pintle is threaded and the pintle is secured to post 30 by a nut 34 and washer 35, the shoulder provided by the reduced threaded end 33 preventing binding of the pintle 31 in the post.

The bight portion 26 of each clamp is reinforced at 36 under the tube 15, providing a curved seat for the curved ends of a pair of leaf springs 37 and 38 which are secured thereto by the screws 39. Spring 38 is shorter than spring 37 and serves as a helper spring. Spring 37 has its rearward end 40 turned upward and curved around the tube 15 to keep it in engagement therewith. A wear plate 41 may be provided on tube 15 as shown.

In operation, the tow line 17, or two tow lines if there are two skiers, is operated from inboard the boat. The desired length of line is payed out, preferably by a reel device, and as the skier is towed, tube 15 is aligned more or less horizontally in a straight line with the skiers hands, the line 17 being led around the motor 13 by the tube 15. Since the tubes 15 are connected by the spacer 21-22 and secured to transom 10 by the clamps 16, they form a yoke distributing the strain of the tow behind the center portion of the transom for efiiicient operation of the boat.

In FIGURE 2 the tube is shown depressed to the fullest limit of the springs 37 and 38, but it will be understood that since the skiers hands are usually above the level of the top of transom 10 and the boat is usually inclined upwardly and forwardly, this lower limit is rarely reached and the strain of the tow is in a single more or less horizontal plane from the skiers hands to the axis of pintles 31.

When the skier releases his end of the line 17, the tube 15 is immediately urged upwardly to its upper biased limit by the action of springs 37 and 38, indicated in 3 FIGURE 2 in broken lines at 15a. The tow line 17 is therefore held up away from the propeller until the line can be reeled in by an automatic device or otherwise.

Should it be desired to maneuver the boat in close quarters with the device attached it can be swung upward and inboard to the position indicated in FIGURE 2 in broken lines at 15b. Since springs 37 and 38 do not extend rearward beyond motor 13 they do not present any additional hazard.

Many outboard boats have the top of the side portions 11 of the transom curved upward toward sides 12 or decked over leaving little room on either side of the motor on the flat center portion of the transom when the largest motor for which the boat is rated is used. It will be appreciated, therefore, that the clamp 16 provides great economy of space and is adapted to be secured close to the motor 13. The adaptability afforded by the spacing means 21-22 assures that the device may be used with motors of all sizes simply by replacing the nipple 22 with one of a different length. The device may also be used with boats having a decked over stern, such as inboard motor boats, simply by providing an upstanding strip bolted to the deck or to the stern bits to which the clamps 16 may be secured.

Further flexibility of use may be provided by the use of the clamp shown in FIGURE 5. Should it be desired to tow more than 2 skiers, additional tubes 15 may be clamped over or alongside the two tubes 15 shown in FIGURE 1.

Clamp 45 comprises the upper block 46 and lower block 47 both with two semi-circular grooves 48 therein, each groove being adapted to partially embrace a tube 15. Apertures indicated at 49 in block 46 on either side of the grooves admit the bolts 50 for clamping the blocks about the tubes 15 as shown. Registering tapped holes 51 in block 47 receive the bolts 50.

Third and fourth tubes may therefore be clamped to the two tubes shown by using one clamp 45 adjacent post 30 and another clamp 45 adjacent the spacing device 21-22. Additional tow lines 17 may be carried by these additional tubes 15 for use by additional skiers.

It will now be seen that there is provided a water ski tow device having great flexibility of use with all types of boats and engines, having means for preventing fouling of the propeller with the tow line, and which distributes the strain of the tow to a point behind the center of the transom for maximum, efficient control of the boat without setting up vertically directed strain. Furthermore the device is adapted for use with known types of take-up reels, can be safely swung out of way when not in use, is easily mounted and removed, and is adapted for simultaneous use by more than one skier.

As will be apparent to those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The embodiment disclosed is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative rather than restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A water ski tow device for use with a towing boat having a stern-mounted motor and tow lines comprising, in combination, a pair of elongated, substantially rigid tubular members through which portions of the tow lines are passed, means to attach said tubular members to the boat on either side of the motor in rearwardly projecting relation thereto, said attachment means including axially aligned hinged connections to said tubular members for vertical swinging movement of the tubular member, means for securing said tubular members together behind said motor and resilient means coacting with said attachment means and tubular members to normally support the latter members in an upwardly inclined, rearwardly projecting position relative to the boat.

2. A water ski tow device for use with a towing boat and a tow line comprising, in combination, a pair of elongated, substantially rigid tubular members through which a portion of the tow line may be passed, means for securing together in spaced relation the rear ends of said members, means pivotally connecting said members to the boat, said connecting means permitting swinging movement of said members between a position wherein said members project outwardly from the boat to a position wherein substantially all of said members are contained within the boat, and resilient means coacting with said connecting means and members for normally supporting the latter in an upwardly inclined, outwardly projecting position relative to the boat.

3. A water ski tow device for use with any boat adapted for ski-towing and having a transom, a motor and tow lines adapted to be secured inboard of said boat, comprising clamps adapted to be secured to the transom on either side of the motor, vertically operable hinge means on each clamp, longitudinally disposed tubes secured adjacent their forward ends to said hinge means each for slidingly containing a tow line, said tubes being adapted to extend past the motor and being curved rearwardly toward one another providing clearance between said tubes and said motor, adjustable spacing clamp means at the rear ends of said tubes rearwardly of the motor-clearing portions thereof for securing together in selectedly spaced relationship the rearwardly projecting ends of said tubes, and spring means on said transom-engaging clamps for urging each tube to an upwardly and rearwardly inclined normal position of rest.

4. The ski tow device of claim 3 having, in combination therewith, clamp means for securing a third tube to one of said hingedly secured tubes for slidingly containing a third tow line.

5. The ski tow device of claim 3 wherein the spacing clamp means at the rear ends of said tubes comprises mutually facing threaded couplings secured to a tube on each side, and a right-and-left hand threaded nipple engaging said couplings and securing said tubes in spaced apart relationship.

6. The ski tow device of claim 3 wherein said vertically operable hinge means have aligned hinge axes above the top of said boat transom whereby said device may be swung inboard when not in use.

7. In combination with a boat transom and tow line means, a water-ski tow device comprising a clamp removably secured to either side of said transom, vertically operable axially aligned hinge means on each clamp, a longitudinally disposed tube secured adjacent its forward end to each hinge means, said tubes being curved rearwardly toward one another, said tow line means passing through said tubes, clamp means for mutually securing in spaced relation the rearward ends of said tubes, and spring means on each transom engaging clamp for urging said tubes to an upward and rearward inclined normal position of rest, whereby a tow line adapted to be secured inboard of said transom can be led through each of said tubes to center the strain of towing centrally behind said transom and said lines are held up to prevent fouling when not in use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,809,461 Atols Oct. 15, 1957 2,816,310 Nale Dec. 17, 1957 2,821,726 Correll Feb. 4, 1958 ime .c" 

